The Girl Next Door | Baby Daddy

7.3 | A Family Outing

"I don't know which one you are, but you're definitely the cutest reindeer of them all!" Ben gushed as he tickled Emma, who was dressed as an adorable reindeer. She was in her bouncer seat, which had been disguised to look like a sleigh. Ben was dressed in a Santa Claus costume, which used to be his Dad's. It hung loose on his since he was tall and slim, but the white fake beard made the costume a little more convincing. "Woah, when did I become one of those parents?" He asked himself, realizing what he had just said to Emma. "Probably two seconds after I saw you in those little antlers!"

"Ben!" I growled as I walked into the photography studio, my black heeled Mary Jane shoes clicking against the floor. My hands were on my hips as I clenched my teeth, glaring at Ben. "You said you were giving me your Mom's Mrs. Claus costume." I snapped, gesturing at the costume I was wearing, which was just a red velvet corset edged with white fur, which matched the short skirt that was attached to the bodice with a thick black belt with a large buckle. The least slutty part of the outfit was the santa hat, which was tucked over my curled red hair.

"That is my Mom's Mrs. Claus costume." Ben informed me. "I had a very traumatic childhood." He muttered, shuddering at the memory of his mother wearing the slutty Mrs. Claus costume for family pictures.

"Let's just get this done." I declared, adjusting the itchy knee high red and white striped socks that went with the costume, brushing the white pom pom of the hat out of my face.

"Okay, Santa babies, let's get a move on." The photographer agreed with me as he readied his high-end camera, screwing off the lense cap. He seemed even less thrilled than the rest of the Wheeler family was to be here.

"We'll just be another minute." Ben promised him as he arranged the 'sleigh' in front of the winter backdrop in the studio, which was surrounded by bright lights and white umbrellas.

The rest of the Wheeler family began filing out from the dressing rooms that were reserved for the family members to change into assorted costumes and outfits. The first to emerge in the studio besides me and Ben-ta Claus was Mr. Wheeler. He wore a long brown beard and shimmery gold and blue robes, a staff in his hand.

"What do you think? Does your old man look like a wise man?" He asked both of us, spinning around in the wiseman costume.

"You look a hell of a lot wiser than you did last night." Ben countered, and I looked at him in confusion. "He tried to come out to my mom last night. But something else came out instead." He added, shuttering yet again, this time more violently.

"His mother kind of... flashed him last night." Mr. Wheeler explained and I wrinkled my nose. "She was trying to flash me." He tried to explain.

"Why was anyone flashing anyone?!"

"And appeared unto him an angel descended from heaven, whom had come to say... what's up, bitches?!" Bonnie exclaimed as she entered the studio, adorned in a white shiny angel costume that was a little too innocently white to suit her. She stood next to Mr. Wheeler, leaning in and whispering, "Maybe later we can ditch the fat man and his gold digger wife and you can try to tarnish my halo." Now it was my turn to shudder as I was the only one to hear Bonnie's comment to Ray.

"Okay, Mom, you'll be standing here." Ben said, directing her to where he wanted to stand, which was as far away from his father as he could get her.

"But, I just think Jesus wouldn't want the angel and the wiseman so far apart..." Bonnie tried to argue, but she didn't sway Ben as he continued dragging her off to the side.

"Come on, people. If you're any slower, it will be Christmas. Let's shake our tinsel makers and get going!" The impatient photographer whined.